Newbie with questions about a new AG pool

[sjagannath]

Good morning everyone,

Looking forward to learning from the wealth of information on this forum. My wife and I are in the market for an above-ground pool. We are both teachers, and would make good use of the pool in the summer time and (hopefully) for kids in the future!

I am brand new to pools and pool care. I'm quite experienced in maintaining appropriate water parameters for my reef tank, and a pool seems no different. I've read up on the BBB method, but I'm having little luck finding any actual tips on buying the actual pool itself. Any recommendations for where to buy a pool, brands to look at or stay away from, or general structural things to look for (e.g., steel vs. resin vs resin with steel posts)? Any recommendations on where to buy? We will be stopping by a few local places, and have also looked at a few larger chain stores (Namco., etc.).

Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thank you!

[CarlD]

Namco is going out of business here in NJ. I'd ask around and check around at who is a good pool company and who recommends them. We have all kinds of people with all kinds of preferences.

[PoolDoc]

You can ask, and answer, the question, "Will my family really enjoy a pool?" with an Intex pool much more cheaply and reliably than with most other options. Even a larger pool, like this one: Intex 32-Foot by 16-Foot by 52-Inch Rectangular Ultra Frame Pool (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004DCANNU/poolbooks/), is under $2,000.

Allow another $1,000 for an additional pump/filter, for cleaning gear, and for hiring someone to get the site really level (no more than 2" from any point to any other point on the perimeter.)

A pool like that will last up to 5 years (or more), but can easily be removed (and sold!) if you decide to upgrade.

=> Do follow our Intex guide, if you get one.
=> Do NOT get a Walmart / Sams Club Summer Escapes (or any other Chinese) brand pool -- the quality is low, low low, and customer service is terrible.
=> Buy, and install, now. Intex's customer service isn't great, but they do respond, and aren't so backed up right now. If you get unlucky (maybe 3% of pools have defects requiring replacement), you can STILL have your pool up and running by the time anyone wants to swim.
=> Do install promptly on receipt of the pool. (Get the ground fixed, BEFORE buying!!!). If you purchase from Amazon or Walmart you probably only have a 30 day return window, and it's easier to return to Amazon, than to Intex.

Good luck!

PS: Carl's first pool was an Intex -- he now has a huge, pretty expensive, AG pool.

[CarlD]

PS: Carl's first pool was an Intex -- he now has a huge, pretty expensive, AG pool.

LOL! Yes, both are true! I learned on my Intex which served us well for 3 years (15' round donut) and now have a rectangular 40x16 AG with a 5 1/2' deep end, solar heating and, now, an SWCG. Of course it's buried under about a foot of ice and snow.......